Murray, Henry

MURRAY, SMITH, COYLE, DUFFY, MCGINN, OCONNOR, HARRISON, BROGAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/14/2003 at 20:55:13

Source: "The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated" published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

HENRY MURRAY

After years of honest toil Henry Murray is now living a retired life at his old home on section seventeen, Washington township, Clinton county, Iowa. He was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1828, a son of Patrick and Ann (Smith) Murray, who were life-long residents of that country. He is the youngest of their twelve children and the only one living in America. It was in 1848 that he crossed the ocean on an English sailing vessel, which landed him safely in New York after a pleasant voyage of six weeks. For six years he made his home in Canandaigua, New York, where he worked principally for the railroad company, but he also did some farm labor. At the end of that period Mr. Murray came to Lyons, Iowa, where he was employed by the month for three years, and then bought a farm of eighty acres in Washington township, to which he later added a tract of forty acres. Upon this place he has since made his home, and was successfully engaged in its operation for many years, but is now living a retired life, enjoying the fruits of his early labors. He has deeded the farm to his son Joseph.

Two days before sailing for America Mr. Murray was married in White Haven, Cumberlandshire, England, to Miss Catherine Coyle, a native of that country and a daughter of Patrick and Mary (Duffy) Coyle, who were both born in County Monahan, Ireland, but spent the greater part of their lives in England, where they died. Mrs. Murray departed this life in 1898, and was laid to rest in the Center Grove Catholic cemetery. By this union were born the following children: Mary Ann, wife of Peter McGinn, of Delmar; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Joseph O’Connor and resides with her father; Catherine, who died at the age of twelve years; Henry, who married Maggie Harrison and resides on a farm in Bloomfield township; Patrick and James, who both died in childhood; Maggie, at home; Jennie, who married Martin Brogan; Joseph , at home; and Johnnie, who died in infancy.

When Mr. Murray came to Clinton county there were only two houses and a mill in Charlotte; Delmar was still farm land, and Maquoketa was a village with only a few houses. Indians were camping near DeWitt on the Wapsie river, and deer, wild turkey, prairie chickens, etc., were found in abundance, while wolves committed many depredations among the stock of the settlers. Mr. Murray’s first home here was a sod house, in which he lived for a number of years while he broke his land and placed it under cultivation. He experienced many of the hardships and privations incident to life on the frontier. By his ballot he supports the Democracy, and has held the office of road supervisor and school director for a number of years. In religious faith he is a Catholic, and is a member of St. Patrick’s church at Center Grove.

Joseph Murray, son of our subject, was born in this county on the 4th of April, 1867, and was educated in the district schools near his boyhood home and the public schools of DeWitt. Since attaining his majority he has had charge of the farm, and is accounted one of the most thorough and skillful agriculturists of his locality. He raises a high grade of stock for market, and in all his undertakings is meeting with marked success. Like his father, he affiliates with the Democratic party, and is now efficiently serving as school director. He, too, is a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic church at Center Grove.